"I am honored to receive a visit from two of the top five heroes," Mrs. Smith commented with a slight smile as she sat down on the sofa in the large living room, wearing an expensive-looking white robe.
"No need for pleasantries, we didn't come here for that." Queen looked at the woman seriously as she stood in front of her with The Jonhhies at her side.
"You really are the straight-to-the-point type, you know that has its charm?" Mrs. Smith smiled smugly at Queen.
Queen narrowed her eyes at this behavior.
"Okay..." Mrs. Smith raised her arms in a sign of giving up this little game.
"You came to talk about Lucky Cyan's whereabouts—or rather, the ungrateful lucky one? Sorry, but I don't know anything about where she might be." Mrs. Smith spoke with mockery in her voice.
Big Johnny growled in response to this.
"I'd rather you didn't call Cyan that." Queen calmly warned.
"Well... she deserves it after throwing away her fans' trust like that."
"You talk as if you're not to blame for this," Little Johnny said with a slight venom in his voice.
"Me? My job was to make sure she lived up to her fans' expectations... nothing too much, after all, what would you heroes be without them?"
"We become heroes by earning that trust, not by selling ourselves as products." Queen commented calmly.
"You may think so... but what you are, and what you will become, depends on those who trust you. To them, you are not heroes, you are pieces of entertainment, special in the eyes of the people. You have a difference that cannot be seen in everyday life, and in the end, you are disposable when you become uninteresting..." Mrs. Smith wore a satisfied smile.
"The old E-Soul is an example. I grew up hearing the story of how he was the great hero who defeated the God of Death, Zero, but look, over time, fans began to lose confidence in him. Was it because he stopped being a hero? No. The fans got tired of his character, and then a new E-Soul appeared, with a new look, a new style, and more appealing to today's audience. The old E-Soul was discarded as if he were nothing... If you don't live up to the fans' expectations, you'll be thrown away and forgotten like a nobody. Your friend Cyan is next."
Little Johnny clenched his fists as he listened to all this.
"You're right..." Queen spoke calmly. "But that's why we're heroes, we're the ones who can make a difference that others can't, so I want to change this system, we need order to define the true direction of this trust... Order is necessary for heroes to play their true role. That's what I want, Cyan is a kind person, acting for the good of those who trust her or not. That's what sets her apart from a hero, whom you only see as a pawn and accept that."
Queen turned to leave.
"Let's go, this is a waste of time," she said to The Jonhhies, who nodded silently.
"Bravo!...Bravo!..." Mrs. Smith clapped her hands for them.
"You are very inspiring, I can see why you are Mickey's favorite, I am looking forward to what the future holds for you."
"I can't say the same about you," Queen said indifferently as they left by the same route they had entered.
Mrs. Smith leaned back on the sofa as the seconds passed after this brief conversation.
"...True hero?" Mrs. Smith let out a dry laugh.
"What nonsense..."
Cyan woke up sleepy for another day, this time wearing a light green pajama set with deer stickers all over it.
I think I overslept...
She went to the kitchen and opened the cupboard to get a box of cereal, specifically a cereal themed around the heroine Moon. Cyan found it strange at first, but eventually got used to the taste.
She shook the box when she realized how light it was.
There's only enough for today...
Now with a bowl of cereal and a spoon in hand, she walked over to the sofa.
She yawned as she sat down on the sofa.
How boring...
She picked up the TV remote and decided to leave it on the news channel.
She ate quietly while some uninteresting news stories played on the TV.
"...What am I going to do today? I have practically no tasks to do today, and Lin Ling will be home late again..."
Cyan wished he had more free time to spend with her. There were other places in the city she would like to visit during these vacations, but it would be boring to go alone.
Now let's talk about the current trend, #whatisyourcolor.
Cyan's attention was immediately drawn to the TV when she heard this.
The social network Fomo has been chaotic thanks to the new #whatisyourcolor.
The movement aims to motivate aspiring musicians to showcase their talent and creations during a period when we don't have Lucky Cyan, the biggest sensation in music today.
But the proportion reached a new level when hero agencies began promoting their heroes in music videos themed around them.
However, this raises controversy about an attempt to replace Lucky Cyan, and discussions can be found throughout the social network about whether or not this movement is fair at this time.
Experts say that this movement is likely to grow exponentially over time, with a high chance that heroes who are in the top rankings will also receive theme songs. A movement like this is a consequence of a desire among the people that was born from Lucky Cyan's songs, but there is still no definitive answer as to whether the chances of her being replaced are high or low.
When questioned, A DOS stated that Lucky Cyan is unique, and her talent and passion for music is not something that can be replaced.
Let's now turn to sports...
Cyan put down the almost empty bowl as she thought deeply about what she had just heard.
She knew that her absence could attract new artists, she was aware of her influence on music, but it was still strange to see how many people wanted to be in her place, yet at the same time invigorating to see how much music is desired by so many people.
I can't get angry when I see music being spread around.
Cyan smiled slightly at this thought.
Cyan turned off the TV, determined to wash the dishes she had just dirtied.
But when she got to the kitchen, she noticed something she had missed before.
He forgot his lunch...
Lin Ling's lunch was sitting on the kitchen counter, forgotten.
It was the leftovers from the dinner they had made together last night. Cyan blushed slightly as she remembered this. She still couldn't say why she had acted so nervously after his closest attempt to help her. She figured it was more the shock of his sudden action.
He must have overslept and rushed off to work...
Cyan sighed at this thought.
It's my fault...
Cyan felt sad to think that her desire to stay up late cooking had caused this.
But then a light bulb appeared above her head as she had an idea.
She picked up the lunchbox from the counter with a small smile.
Why don't I take advantage of this and surprise him...
"Lin Ling." Wang Ming called out to his neighbor, who had his head resting on his desk.
"Didn't you sleep well again?"
"I've just been... busy."
Wang Ming sighed wearily at this response.
"You're hopeless..."
"The boss asked for a new report on last month's commercial research. He wants to check if there was a decline, even though they're still on the air."
"Right..." Lin Ling stood up sleepily.
"And there's also this." Wang Ming handed him what appeared to be some folders.
"Oh, sure, more requests for autonomous heroes..." Lin Ling took them, already feeling more tired.
"Hm?" But something caught his attention in these requests; everything was in just one folder.
"Why is that?" Lin Ling asked his supervisor.
"As incredible as it may seem, all of this is from just one hero."
Lin Ling blinked a few times in surprise.
"Really?"
Wang Ming nodded affirmatively.
"And apparently he's here in person to accompany you in developing the ads."
"What!?"
"Yeah, I was surprised too, it's been a long time since anyone did that."
"Okay, so where is this hero?" Lin Ling sighed dejectedly, he just hoped it would be someone easy to deal with.
"I'M HERE!"
Lin Ling was startled by the loud voice.
That voice... don't tell me...
Looking in that direction, Lin Ling's eyes widened at who he saw.
"LUCIUS!?"
"YES! I am Lucius Dawnbringer, the paladin of light."
Some other employees nearby looked strangely at the arrival of this hero.
"Do you know this hero?" Wang Ming asked curiously at Lin Ling's reaction.
"W-well—"
"We went to the same school, I'm a former classmate."
"Right..." Wang Ming looked skeptical, Lin Ling didn't seem comfortable with the hero's presence.
But before he could say anything, the alarm on his cell phone went off.
"I have a meeting to go to..." Wang Ming calmly left while taking one last look at Lucius.
"Okay... see you later," Lin Ling said awkwardly as he bid farewell.
An uncomfortable silence arose between Lin Ling and the hero.
I don't have a good feeling about this... it's too much of a coincidence that he shows up here after the school reunion...
"I must admit that I'm happy to see you here, and it almost feels like fate." Lucius commented with his typical bright smile.
"Yeah... it's a small world, isn't it?" Lin Ling laughed nervously.
Cyan... he may have come here seeking revenge against her—
"First of all, I would like to apologize for my actions that night." Lucius bowed slightly in apology. "I acted inappropriately as a hero and as a person."
This took Lin Ling by surprise. Lucius didn't seem like the type to apologize so easily, and Lin Ling was very suspicious of the whole situation.
"I think someone like him still has a chance to improve."
Lin Ling clenched his fists slightly as he remembered Cyan's words.
"Right..." Lin Ling extended his hand to Lucius in a handshake. "I look forward to working with you."
"Same here..." Lucius accepted the handshake with a smile. "Lin Ling."
A FEW HOURS LATER
"NO! My smile has to be tilted more to the right! Reflecting the sunlight!" Lucuis pointed firmly at the computer screen next to Lin Ling, who had a huge smile on his face.
"Of course... light is your main feature, we have to make it resonate throughout your character." Lin Ling spoke calmly, but inside he was fed up with it.
We've been at it for hours and we haven't even made proper progress on the first commercial.
Lin Ling thought, stressed by his client's demands.
"You know, Lucius... I've been thinking, are you really not with an agency? You've been climbing the rankings lately, and that's difficult to do without an agency."
Lucio chuckled slightly, amused by Lin Ling's question.
"Yes, I am with an agency... but my official announcement by them hasn't happened yet. My recent rise in the rankings had their help, but they want more results of my own, so I'm investing in these ads to deliver my image to the public before announcing myself as a great hero to the people.
"I see..." Lin Ling seemed satisfied with that answer.
In other words, they want to announce a hero who is already well-known among the people.
Before anything else, Lucius' attention was drawn when his cell phone started ringing.
"One moment..." Lucius stood up and moved away a little while answering the call.
"Greetings, who does Lucius Dawnbringer have the honor of speaking with... oh... of course... right away... I won't be long... thank you—" The call ended abruptly, as if Lucius had been hung up on.
"Well..." Lucius turned back, flashing his bright smile at Lin Ling.
"Duty calls me away, we'll continue another time. See you soon." Lucius waved slightly as he left the room.
"See you..." Lin Ling waited until he was out of sight before collapsing exhausted onto his desk.
Damn... it's almost 5:00 p.m. and I haven't even started the report Mr. Cheng asked for... and I haven't even had lunch.
Lin Ling grabbed his backpack and took out a cereal bar.
And on top of that, I forgot my lunch.
Lin Ling began to eat with discouragement.
He ended up not noticing the slight commotion that began on the floor with the arrival of a new person.
"Hey... who is she?"
"I don't know... a new employee?"
"I doubt it, there have only been layoffs lately."
"She looks like she's looking for someone."
Whispers among the employees on the floor echoed throughout the place as the mysterious woman searched for someone, until she smiled when she found the person she was looking for.
Feeling someone nudging his shoulder, Lin Ling turned around and found a woman wearing a white shirt, jeans, and a black cap. She was holding a bag in one hand. Lin Ling looked curiously at who it could be. She had her head down, so he couldn't see her face clearly because of the cap.
Strange, I've never seen her around here...
The person lifted her cap slightly, revealing the color of her eyes. Lin Ling's eyes widened when he saw who it was.
He quickly stood up, alarmed.
"CY-"
Cyan put one hand over his mouth, preventing him from making that mistake.
"Hi," she whispered, smiling nervously at him because some of the employees were looking at them.
Lin Ling gently pulled Cyan by the arm as he led her to a more empty place in the building.
"What are you doing here!?" Lin Ling asked, slightly irritated.
They were on the building's emergency stairs.
"Surprise, I came to visit." Cyan was still smiling nervously at him.
Lin Ling frowned in response.
"Cyan, this is no joke! This district is one of the busiest, and even several heroes pass through it. This was and still is very risky." Lin Ling didn't like her taking such a risk.
"I know... but I also came to bring you this." Cyan took something out of the bag and Lin Ling's eyes widened once again.
"Is this...?" Lin Ling asked as he took the thing.
"Your lunch, you forgot it, so I thought I'd bring it to you."
Lin Ling's anger quickly disappeared, and he felt like an idiot, a guilty expression appearing on his face.
She risked herself just to bring this to me?
"Don't worry..." Cyan said calmly to him. "You're right, it is risky... but it's okay, it was to help my friend, so it doesn't matter." Cyan smiled at him.
Lin Ling felt better after hearing that.
What did I do to deserve a friend like you?
"Thank you..." Lin Ling thanked her with a small smile on his face.
Lin Ling sat on the steps to eat, Cyan sat a few steps above him.
"Don't you want to heat it up? It must be cold by now."
"It's okay, this is already better than anything I expected for today." Lin Ling smiled contentedly at his meal.
"Don't you want some?" Lin Ling held out the lunch box to Cyan.
"No... I'm not hungry—" Cyan's denial was interrupted when her own stomach growled loudly.
Lin Ling could clearly see a blush spreading across her face.
Cyan turned her face away in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
"Maybe... just a little..." She spoke softly, but it was enough for him to hear.
Lin Ling smiled amusedly at this scene.
"I expected nothing less from a glutton like you."
"I-I'm not a glutton!" Cyan tried to defend herself, but the red color on her face didn't help.
Lin Ling let out a cheerful laugh in response.
"So... how did you get here?" Lin Ling asked as they walked through the corridors after a quick lunch.
"What do you mean?" Cyan tilted her head at the question.
"I mean... this district isn't close to home, and I never told you the exact location where I work."
"Well... I already knew the name of the company... but about the way here..." Cyan scratched her cheek in embarrassment.
"Ma'am, could you tell me how to get to ToadMan?"
Cyan asked an elderly woman at the bus stop.
"How to get to whom?" the woman asked back, apparently hard of hearing.
"ToadMan, it's a marketing company."
"Frog man? Why do you want to go to a frog man?"
Cyan sighed wearily. She had been at this for a few minutes now, and it wasn't getting her anywhere.
"A marketing company should be in the more central districts of the city. You're better off taking the subway. The next bus goes straight to a station."
Cyan looked to the side, curious about the new voice that had appeared out of nowhere.
A man with black hair, wearing a suit and tie and glasses, was standing at the bus stop.
Cyan doesn't remember him being there before, or hearing him arrive.
"Oh, thank you."
He looks familiar...
The man smiled contentedly as he opened a can of soda.
The bus arrived in a few seconds, and as she got on, she stopped when she remembered something important.
"And which station am I going to?"
She turned around to ask the man from before, but to her surprise, he was no longer there or anywhere nearby.
Cyan blinked a few times, trying to understand.
"After that, I ended up getting lost at a few stations, got lost on some nearby streets, and that's why it took me so long to get here, but what matters is that I made it." Cyan seemed happy about it all.
"Wow... it sounds like you had an adventure full of mysteries and learning today in the city, I'm so jealous." Lin Ling had an amused smile on his face.
Cyan rolled her eyes at him.
"There are places I'd really like to go, for the sake of adventure, but you know... I need a friend who knows the city so they can take me to those places." Cyan looked at Lin Ling as she commented.
"I'd like to too... but work makes it difficult, sorry."
Cyan turned her face away, unhappy about it.
"Stupid work." She muttered to herself.
"LIN LING!"
Lin Ling froze in fear when he heard the voice he knew so well.
Cyan, curious about his reaction, looked in the direction of the voice and found an older-looking man wearing a suit with an angry expression clearly visible on his face.
"Hi boss... is there a problem?" Lin Ling asked as calmly as he could.
"Where's the report I asked for!" Mr. Cheng approached the two, his voice irritated.
"I'm sorry! Due to issues with an autonomous hero client, I haven't had time to do it, but I promise I'll deliver it today." Lin Ling was visibly sweating with worry.
Mr. Cheng narrowed his eyes at Lin Ling, who swallowed hard in response.
"And who are you? I don't remember your face," Mr. Cheng stared intently at Cyan.
"Hi, I'm..." Cyan froze, realizing that until today during this vacation, she hadn't told anyone but Lin Ling her name.
"Her name is Cynthia, she's a friend from the countryside who I'm helping to live in the city, she was nearby and decided to visit me." Lin Ling quickly replied to her rescue.
"I don't remember allowing visits for employees."
"Well..." now it was Lin Ling who paused to respond.
"It's my fault, I came here without warning. I was just curious about what a workplace in the big city X is like, and I have to admit that I was surprised by this place. I hope all companies have this level of quality. You're an amazing boss." Cyan commented with a fake tone of surprise.
Mr. Cheng had his head down, so it was difficult to see his expression.
"I have to admit that all the employees contribute to this incredible performance..." Mr. Cheng raised his head, scratching the back of his neck, with a silly smile on his face.
Lin Ling's eyes widened in surprise when he saw this; he had never seen his boss like this before.
"Lin Ling."
Lin Ling turned around when he heard him call his name again.
"You can go home, you're dismissed for today."
"Huh?" Lin Ling was again astonished. "But what about the report?!"
"I'll pass it on to someone else, you've already worked a lot of overtime, and it's getting late, take her home safely." Mr. Cheng looked back at Cyan, but now it was a softer look. "And you are welcome here, a welcoming presence is always gratifying."
"Thank you." Cyan smiled cheerfully in response.
The boss turned and left, leaving the two alone.
"What?! How?! What just happened!?" Lin Ling was lost, he needed answers.
Cyan flashed a victorious smile.
"Little Johnny taught me that, just a few compliments about his work and people like him melt easily."
Lin Ling laughed nervously upon hearing this.
"I think it only had that effect because it was you." Lin Ling muttered to himself.
"What?"
"N-nothing! We better go before he changes his mind." Lin Ling moved at a faster pace than usual.
Cyan chuckled slightly at his behavior.
She no longer felt bored.